::Again::

Chapter Two: Sakura

"Maybe we feel empty because we leave pieces in ourselves in everything we used to love."

-r.m. drake


"Sakura! Over here!"

The young medical ninja turned to see her mentor standing on a hill and immediately darted toward him.

"Have you found them?!" she cried, running to stand beside him.

Kakashi didn't answer and only gripped onto his wounded shoulder, looking ahead to let her see for herself.

Madara's, once again, lifeless corpse lay sprawled out over the ruins and barren aftermath of the great battle.

"Look." Kakashi cried, pointing toward another figure.

Sakura gasped in horror. It was Naruto, laying in a pool of his own blood, several feet away.

He wasn't moving.

Was he...? He couldn't be dead!

"No!" she breathed, before taking off toward him. Her feet flying on their own accord.

You better be alive, you idiot! You better be alive!

Suddenly, a hand reached out and grasped Sakura's ankle, stopping her advances, nearly making her tumble over.

Choking on a startled gasp, she looked down to meet a gaze of pure darkness.

Sasuke's eyes bore through her pleadingly, and she only could recall one time when she had ever seen him look so helpless.

Long ago on their first real mission together.

"Sakura…" he panted heavily, trying to pull himself up from the rubble, Madara's blade impaling his lower abdomen."Please…"

The pain and desperation in his voice chilled her over... he didn't have much time.

Feeling panic clawing at her heart, she glanced back to Naruto, then back to him...

She had always feared something like this would happen... it had been an unsettling thought in the back of her mind for sometime. She let out a shaky breath, she couldn't allow it to effect her. She had to forget that the fates of the two people she loved most in the world were in her hands. She had to be rational and think of them as any other wounded and dying shinobi.

And she knew she'd have to access Naruto's current state before she could decide who she needed to treat first...

In truth, her chakra reserves were nearly diminished... she did not know how she would be able to heal them both.

But she would, by Kami she would!

"I'll be back." she promised softly, feeling her stomach sink when he reached for her when she pulled away from his hold.

He looked frightened at her dismissal, but managed to nod in understanding. He knew she would.

It killed Sakura to leave him... there was a light in his eyes that she never thought she would see again. He didn't want to die, he wanted another chance… she had seen that look in countless wounded ninjas she had healed in the past.

"Sensei!" she called, her voice breaking."Hurry! It's Sasuke! I need you to stabilize him."

Kakashi was there in an instant and, without any question, knelt beside his estranged student, rolling the boy over on his back.

"Keep him conscious." Sakura ordered, before rushing away.

She collapsed beside Naruto when she reached him and immediately checked his pulse.

He was alive.

But, barely.

If she did not act now, in a matter of moments, he would die. Separating her emotions from her critical thinking, she focused her chakra into her palms and hovered them over the fatal wound in his stomach.

She didn't think of him.

She didn't think of Sasuke.

She just focused on what she had to do, with limited power that she had... if she didn't let her natural instinct take over, she would assuredly lose both of them.

In a matter of seconds, the intricate wound began to weave close. Her yin seal was faltering, but the kunochi would not allow it to deactivate on her.

He was going to live.

He had to live.

There was no hope for the shinobi world if he did not.

She glanced behind her to see Kakashi holding Sasuke in his arms, and trying fervently to keep the Uchiha's eyes focused.

A cold feeling went through her. What if she couldn't save them both?

What if her seal gave out on her... what if...

No.

Focus.

She had to stay focus.

She couldn't listen to the cries of her heart and soul... she couldn't let them lead her in this moment.

Pushing herself to her limit, she managed to stabalize Naruto enough so that his breathing was even and that kyuubi's chakra could manage the wounds on it's own.

Rising, she quickly rushed back to the side of the man she loved.

Keep him alive. she prayed. Just let him hold on a bit more.

Once there, she ordered Kakashi to watch over Naruto as she treated Sasuke.

The Uchiha was fading and fading fast.

Letting Kakashi lay him in her arms, she held him firmly and prepared to remove the blade embedded inside him.

"Sasuke." she called to him, gripping him under his chin and forcing him to look at her. "Look at me! Stay focused on me, and don't you dare fall asleep!"

He only blinked at her with confused and dazed eyes. "Sakura..."

With a glowing green hand she gripped the blade at it's base and pulled it out quickly.

She was immediately overwhelmed by the depths and intricacy of the wound as his blood began to pool out over her hands.

Too elaborate!

Too deep!

Not enough time!

Not enough chakra!

No!

No!

No!

She felt herself depleting rapidly, her chakra reserves failing her, and her yin seal slowly repressing... but she kept her hand firmly over the hole in his chest, determined to close it, determined to save him.

"Sakura..." he spoke again, coughing up his own blood. He could already see it in her eyes... he already knew...

"Stay quiet!" she told him. "I need to concentrate!"

"...I'm sorry." he whispered softly, fervently, like a prayer.

Tears began to blind her vision, and she looked up, blinking them away, her hands too occupied to be of any help. "Sorry?"

"For everything I've done." he rasped.

She was losing him, she could feel it... but she refused to let go.

"I wasn't ready to die yet." he told her, regretfully. "I have more to do...Itachi..."

"You're not going to die, Sasuke." she told him, giving him a firm shake when he started to slip. "I won't let you."

"You're so damned annoying." he said, a pained smile forming on his face, using what was left of his strength to lift up his fingers to brush against her cheek. "Making everything difficult... you never knew how much... how much I..."

His heartbeat was slowing, fading.

"Sasuke, don't, not like this!" she cried, succumbing to her panic, her desperation. "Don't leave me again! Please! I love you! I still love you! Stay with me!"

The shine in his eyes was fading as his hand gently brushed two fingers over the seal of her forehead. "Thank you, Sakura."

"Sasuke!" she called, as his onyx eyes faded to gray, staring lifeless into the dark sky above. "Sasuke, no!"

It was then the last of the Uchiha clan fell limp within her hold and, as if to signal the world of his departure, there was a loud clash of thunder that shook the earth.

"Sasuke?" she sobbed, searching his eyes. "Sasuke!?"

But, there came no reply.

Sasuke Uchiha was dead.


Sakura made her way through town with Minato in her arms. She was on her way to check up on things at the hospital, as well as let her co-workers coo over her beautiful son.

The day was bright and beautiful, as summer usually was in the Leaf that time of year.

"Well, well, look who has finally decided to rejoin society." a familiar voice remarked.

Caught off guard, Sakura turned around to see her former mentor leaning against the kite stand, his infamous book casually in hand and what seemed to be a smile beneath his mask.

"Sensei!" Sakura exclaimed, making her way toward him, a warm smile appearing on her face.

She had not seen her old friend since Minato was born, which was almost a month ago.

"Morning Sakura," he greeted, lifting himself off his perch and putting his book back in his pouch. "Its been a while since I've seen you out this way."

"Well, I have a loud whiner to take care of now… and my baby." she joked, inclining Minato toward Kakashi so he could see him better.

Kakashi's smile grew a little more as the child came into his view. "And how is my godson?"

"As perfect and healthy as he was when he was born." Sakura beamed proudly and affectionately.

"He's getting big." Kakashi commented.

The little baby locked eyes with the copy-nin and mumbled gibberish to him. "He looks just like his father."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Would you like to hold him?" She held Minato out to her old sensei, her bright smile still on her face.

Kakashi seemed taken aback, but reached out and took the boy in his arms. He and the boy locked eyes for a while.

"He's much more reserved than his father, doesn't make a peep." Kakashi said.

Sakura laughed. "He is very well behaved, I don't know who he gets that from, my mother said I was a fussy baby."

Kakashi was quiet for a moment as he and the infant acknowledged each other. "Heh…This brings back memories, I remember holding Naruto when he was this age."

Sakura smile faltered, remembering the circumstance to which Naruto was born.

The baby's name probably did not bring any good memories either.

Kakashi caught her reaction and brightened immediately. "On your way to the hospital, Sakura?"

She nodded. "I'm not back at work yet, but I decided to stop by."

"Out of concern for your workers, or to show Minato off?" Kakashi teased, handing her back the baby.

"Well, I can't help myself." Sakura joked, but her gaze grew sincere as Minato was back in her arms, fingering her stray hairs. "He's perfect."

Kakashi couldn't help but smile at the tender moment. It was strange to see his little student all grown up and a baby in her arms. To him, she would always be that little girl who would interrupt his lectures, lose her temper, and pester him with questions.

He was thankful his little student had not succumbed to her grief and found a way to live again... though, even after all this time, he could still see a faint shadow of sadness looming over her... some wounds would never fully heal, he knew that better than anyone.

"Well, I should be off now. It was good to see you Sensei, please come by the house anytime." she beamed, before starting back toward the hospital. "The point of being Minato's godfather means that you need to look out for him."

"I'll remember that. Take care Sakura." he waved after her. Though, perhaps his former student was not as well as she seemed.


Naruto yawned as he made his way up to bed.

He had stayed awake a few hours to finish the last of the paperwork that he had brought home from work and Sakura had taken Minato up to bed a while ago.

He glanced at the clock. It was about eleven. Not bad for his usual routine. He walked into the bedroom where Minato was sleeping soundly in his bassinet, his chest rising and falling softly, and Sakura was already curled up under the covers of their bed. He walked over to the bassinet and kissed his son gently on the forehead before climbing in the bed beside Sakura.

She slept soundly, all bundled up to her eyes, her long rose-colored hair rolling all over the bed.

He leaned over and kissed her on her forehead tenderly as well, before curling up himself and falling asleep.

When his eyes opened again, it was about 3:00 am. Though nothing initially woke him, he just felt that something was wrong.

A small whimper from beside him caught his attention and he sat up to look over at his wife.

"Sakura?" he asked.

Was she crying?

He didn't get a response. He reached over and turned on the lamp that rested on the table beside their bed to see better.

Sakura thrashed lightly as if she was in pain and he could see tears falling down her face, but she was still asleep.

"No…" she murmured in her sleep, thrashing a little bit more, as if she was fighting an invisible force.

She was scaring him. "Sakura!" he called, reaching for her.

His call and touch did not wake her, instead they made her arch away from him, as if she was in pain.

She began sobbing.

"Sakura!" he called again, this time grabbing her shoulders, despite her attempts to move away, and gave her a firm shake. "Wake up!"

Her emerald eyes flew open and she gasped, consciousness hit her forcefully as she took in deep breaths.

"Sakura…" Naruto said again, there was panic in his voice. When her eyes hit him, she broke down and cried, collapsing into his arms. "Naruto…"

"Shhh..." he tried to stop her crying, slowly moving a hand through her hair and rubbing her back. "Its alright, your alright, it was just a dream."

She didn't seem reassured by his words as she continued to sob into his chest.

Naruto could hear Minato making noises, he had awaken from all the shouting and crying. He prayed the little infant would go back to sleep, but he did no such thing.

He could hear that his mother was distressed, and it made him start to wail.

"Minato!" Sakura called, moving to aid the crying babe.

"I'll get him." Naruto said firmly, holding her back. "Stay right here, I'll be right back."

He moved to get out of the bed and glanced back at her. Her eyes were wide with fear and silent tears began to fall.

"Will you be alright?" he asked worriedly.

She nodded a little too quickly.

He hated leaving her alone, but the baby needed to be put at ease first before he could do anything.

He gently brushed a strained of her hair out of her face. "I'll be back..."

He got up and quickly scooped up Minato in his arms and left the bedroom.

Seeing Sakura like that had thrown him for a loop, he needed to calm himself, as well as his son.

"Shhh…" he soothed the baby, rocking him back and forth. "Its alright, I'm here, Mom's okay… everything is fine."

The baby's wailing receded to small whimpering. "Let's get you something to eat…"

He carried his son to the kitchen and heated a bottle of formula and water. He needed to calm his nerves. He began taking in deep breaths as he fed Minato at the kitchen table, letting the house fell into silence. As soon as the baby was full, it only took a few moments before he was asleep once more.

Naruto then made his way back up stairs, anxious to get back to Sakura. He re-entered the bedroom and laid Minato back in his bassinet before turning to face his wife. Sakura had her eyes on them anxiously, they were still red from crying and wide with fear, but she seemed to have calmed down a bit. She was hugging her knees to her trembling from, looking very alone.

He said nothing as he approached her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly.

"Naruto…"

"Shhh… I'm here." he stopped her from explaining, he didn't want her to relive anything until she was settled.

Her sobs had ceased, but she still trembled in his strong arms. He massaged her tense back and shoulders, letting her calm into his hold. He moved one hand through her hair, down her neck and up to cup her face. He pulled away ever so slightly, to see her face and gently rubbed the tears away with his thumb. He then drew her forlorn face towards him and kissed her forehead softly. He then moved his lips down to her ear murmuring sweet nothings to drive away all the dark thoughts in her head.

He needed her to stop shaking, and he hated that she felt do cold in his arms.

He couldn't imagine what kind of dream she had to put her in this state, it made him worry. Sakura had always been a quiet, soundless sleeper. She had dreams once in a while, nightmares on certain occasions like any war veteran, but certainly nothing to make her cry and convulse in her sleep like she did.

What bothered him even more was the way she moved from his touch, like she was in pain. Was someone hurting her... tormenting her in her sleep?

It took about a half hour, but soon his wife was free of sobs, her body was warm against him, and she was breathing evenly. She was much less tense in his hold and rested against his shoulder. He let out a sigh and laid back on the bed, taking her with him.

"What happened?" he asked. "Can you tell me?"

She trembled slightly beside him, before shaking her head rapidly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to, its just…" he paused and Sakura looked up at him, meeting the depths of his blue eyes. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry." she whispered, turning shamefully into his shoulder.

He took her face into his hands and made sure she looked at him. "Sakura, you know that I will never let anything hurt you?"

She only nodded.

"It was just a dream." he told her.

She nodded again.

He kissed her lightly on the lips and pulled her back into his arms,letting her drift back to sleep.

He, however was wide awake, fear and worry overtaking him. Sakura had a way of sensing things were going wrong, before they did.

Soon the world was quiet again… but it surely wasn't as peaceful.


Ino cried into her shoulder, her tears soaking the sleeve of her cream-colored sweater. Sakura rubbed her back encouragingly, resting her cheek upon her head.

"It's okay." she would repeat over and over again. "It's okay."

"I just, walked home today and I went into his study to give him the receipts for the shop... and he wasn't there!" the blonde told her. "It was like I had forgotten completely."

"No, you didn't, it was just your habit." Sakura told her. "It's okay."

"I wanted to go to my mom, but she has finally stopped crying... and..."

"You're always welcome, Ino-pig." Sakura smiled. "Uncle Inoichi would be very proud of you."

The blonde nodded but kept her head buried in her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I know how hard it's been for you as well and here I am making you late for work..."

"No," Sakura told her. "Doing this, it helps... It makes me feel needed."

"How's Naruto?" Ino sniffed. "He must be devestated, the poor knucklehead."

"He's... okay." Sakura replied. "I'm going to fill our teas, okay?"

Ino nodded, lifting her blonde head from her shoulder, wiping her tears stubbornly. She watched her friend's back as she prepared another cup of tea for the both of them. The rosette really had lost weight like her mother had said, and Ino had taken note of the heavy bags under her eyes when she had arrived.

It dawned on her then that this woman was not the girl she had known all her life.

She wasn't he strong resilient flower who outlasted the coldest of winters.

This girl was frail, quiet, and broken.

A shadow of herself.

"Your mom's worried about you, you know."

Sakura nodded, moving to the pour the kettle into the identical mugs. "I know."

"She says you've been distant and hardly come to visit her or your father anymore." Ino went on. "You haven't said even a word to her about what's happened... Sakura... if you need to talk to anyone, I'm right here, you know that."

"I'm fine." she said quietly.

"I know how much you loved him." Ino told her. "I know how deeply you must be hurting, you can't lie to me, you don't have to go it alone. I'm here, Naruto's here too, all your friends... we should get through this together."

"Thank you, Ino, really." Sakura replied, returning with the teas. "I know you're all here... I'll be alright."

"Will you?" Ino asked, concerned, placing a hand on the girl's knee.

"Yes." Sakura lied.


Sakura sighed as she rocked Minato in the nursery rocker. She was trying to get him to sleep, but he seemed anything but tired.

It was a lovely day outside, and the sunlight was pouring through the windows like translucent gold, yet her thoughts were clouded with the darkest days of her past, the memories that she had kept locked away for so long that they had rebelled and attacked her in the night… and, of course, the nagging feeling that had followed her like a ghost for longer than she could remember.

The feeling that made her glance around when she was certain she was alone, the feeling that made her double check the locks on the windows and doors of her, the feeling that made her hairs stick up on the back of her neck… the feeling that robbed her of peace.

Naruto had reluctantly left for the Hokage tower early that day, not wanting to leave her alone, but she had finally convinced him after much assurance and bickering.

She told him she would simply take a rest after Minato went down for his nap, and then she would feel as good as new.

He would probably come home the minute he was done with his dispatches though, letting all his other tasks fall behind.

She hated the idea, but selfishly was relieved to know that he would be home soon.

Her nightmare haunted her as she went about the house doing her daily chores. She couldn't get the images of the dream out of her head.

Naruto had always helped ward away the shadows and darkness in her mind, he always helped her forget.

It was a dream... He's gone... she thought assuredly. Get it through your head that he's always been gone.

It was just a dream.

Yet she kept Minato close to her the whole day, panicking a little every time he was not in her arms.

With the laundry all done, and the house clean, she was glad that now she could just relax and just hold her baby.

She glanced down at the little boy, his eyes were sleepy, but they stayed on her unwavering… He seemed determined to not take his nap.

"You too?" she asked him. "Stop worrying, I'm fine… your daddy was right, it was just a dream… go to sleep, little one."

She reached up a hand to touch the baby's nose. Minato made a small mumbling sound in reply and fisted her finger.

She smiled at him. "Hey now, that's mine!" she exclaimed. "I need that back, and you need to take a nap."

He made no effort to give her back her index finger and instead replied to her with a soft "Oooah."

"When did you get so bossy, mister?" she asked, pouting at him.

She laughed as Minato looked at her like she was crazy. "We're both worrying over nothing."

After a few moments of silence, and peaceful rocking, Minato did finally drift to sleep, and Sakura let her head lean back so she could look at the ceiling.

"I'm worrying over nothing." she repeated more firmly, willing the looming shadow to leave her alone.


It had been four months, four months and three days.

Sakura stared out the window as the rain beat down mercilessly against it. She could see her ghostly reflection in the glass, staring tiredly back at her.

Sad, pathetic girl. She couldn't help but think, evaluating herself. Here alone, locked up in your apartment, sitting, staring, doing nothing... You can't even cry anymore, huh? Always so useless... You can't even save the people you love...

She didn't even have the energy to feel grief anymore... all she felt was... emptiness.

The clock ticked against the rain in a taunting mantra, that was slowly driving her mad. How many nights did Sasuke spend like this? She wondered.

Every night?

Every night this terrible loneliness, this unbearable torment that gnawed away at the heart even when there was nothing left for it to consume.

Her telephone rang.

She knew it was her mother.

But, she did not have the energy to even stand, let alone have an hour discussion on how fine she was doing.

"Sakura, it's Mom, call me back when you get this." her voice buzzed through the answering machine. "I love you."

I love you too, Mom. Sakura thought in reply, hugging her knees to her chest. I just can't talk to anyone right now, because then I would have to pretend that I'm okay.

The clock ticked on, and a few moments later the phone rang again.

Sakura furrowed her brows.

As loving as her mother was, she was not a horribly sensitive person, she also wasn't stupid. She would know that Sakura either really wasn't home, or that she didn't want to talk, and would respectfully give her space.

She was not the type of mother who would call over and over again to get her to pick up.

The machine beeped. "Hey, Sakura, it's Naruto... I'm just home here and..."

Sakura stood then in concern at the sound of her team-mate's broken voice. "I'm fine and everything... I just..."

Sakura went for her coat and was out the door before he could even finish.

"If you could... I need you, Sakura." his voice lingered in the empty apartment, before the line went dead.